or in case they do not first warning reproving and as need requires threatning them but where this is in vain calling in the Magistrates help to punish such Offenders If this course do not suit all places by reason of the thinness of Magistrates in lesser Parishes the Ministers and Churchwardens conscientious discharge of their Duty in giving warning to the negligent that if they reform not they must present them to the Ordinary which would suddenly redress what some so much complain of the want of Discipline in our Church and in case they do not reform actually presenting them would undoubtedly much contribute to the remedying the publick evils we tax For by these means all sorts of persons would be brought to the publick means of Grace Knowledg would be encreased and thereby the Power of Godliness would insinuate it self into the Hearts of a multitude who live now as without God in the world Thus as to what these Orders of men may do jointly Severally also no little advance in this design may each of these in their places make I will suppose I need not tell the Ministers what they may do as well by a discreet and conscientious diligence in their Duty generally as especially 1. By conscientious Catechising the young openly in the Church as required by Law and so in the hearing of the aged Under the name of Catechising I comprehend the practical explaining and applying to the capacities of the meanest the Principles of Christian Religion out of and according to the Catechism 2. By private Visits and Admonitions 3. In taking care all of their own Family be respectively examples to others And as to Parents and Masters of Families 1. The setting up and maintaining the daily Worship of God in the Family as it would otherwise derive a Blessing upon the Family so it would certainly by degrees imprint a Reverence and Sense of Religion on the minds even of the youngest as they grow up 2. The taking care not only that all who are young but all who are ignorant learn their Catechism the keeping them some part of the Lords day and great Festivals out of Church time in reading the Bible or other good Books or else in attending to such as can read and if possible the taking account of their Behaviour Attention or Proficiency at Church would be more beneficial in this behalf than easily imaginable A very deplorable thing it is that a Family should have nothing of religious Offices amongst them but only what they have in common with the rest of the Parish one hour or two in a week at Church yet God knows how many thousand Families there are amongst us that have not and this no doubt is one reason why the Power of Godliness thrives no better I have thus briefly and familiarly set down what I think fit to say here as to those obvious methods by which the Power of Godliness may be promoted publickly or amongst the multitude § 5. But publick or Ecclesiastico-political methods were not the design of these Papers which as is plain by their Contents were calculated for mens private selves to be an help whereby each man might be able to see whether he has any thing of real Religion in himself and if he have not how he might arrive thereat And this certainly is one of the most likely and incomparably the best way to the Reformation of the Christian world that each should amend one namely himself For when many particular persons have done that all virtue being diffusive and Religion which is the greatest most so their own Hearts will naturally prompt them by all sober means to instill into all within their sphere that spiritual sense and life they feel in themselves There will be less Pragmaticalness Pride Ostentation Calumny and ill Nature in the world more of real Seriousness Peaceableness Humility Charity and conscientious exercising our selves to good works that is to say the true Power of Godliness will more prevail And the Good God make this plain hearty Discourse in some measure effectual to to the blessed end it pretends and was cordially by its Author design'd for AMEN Some ADVICE to such as own the Power of Godliness subjoyned to the foregoing Discourse about § 1. Spiritual Wickednesses § 2. Ostentation § 3. Yet Keeping a Decorum § 4. Murmuring § 5. Fears and Jealoufies § 6. Busie-bodies § 7. Giving Offence § 8. Vncharitable Opinionativeness § 9. Charitable catholick Comprehension HAving look'd over the foregoing Papers though I find many defects therein which my design of Brevity permitted not to supply yet there is one of such importance that I judged I could not discharge that Faith which I ow to the Age if I should wholly let it pass or be silent in a case in which I have here so fair an occasion to speak and in which it is so needful somebody should speak The case is this There are great numbers amongst us who pretend or own themselves and undoubtedly many of them are acted for the main by the Power of Godliness who yet by divers imprudent and inconsistent Practices to say no worse much disgrace it to whom therefore it is high time as the world goes that some very particular Advices and Admonitions adhomines should be given which Office though I am sensible my self to be very insufficient for yet having taken upon me to speak so roundly hitherto I will desire the following Supplement may be taken as proceeding from the same well-meaning with the rest of these Papers § First then I earnestly conjure all who pretend to the Power of Godliness to be with all good Conscience as before God careful that while they profess and live in an abhorrence of more gross and scandalous sins they do not allow themselves in spiritual Wickednesses Gross and scandalous Sins I call Profaneness Perjurys Treasons Oppressions Dishonesty or Injustice Vncleanness Drunkenness and the like Spiritual Wickednesses I reckon secret Pride Censoriousness Peevishness Revengefulness habitual Discontent Partiality Dissemblings Falseness and such other too frequent evils Divers of this later sort men otherwise very strict in their Lives are apt to overlook and it is well if they do not allow at least tolerate and judge tolerable in themselves But let all seriously consider the God with whom we have to do is The Searcher of Hearts and requireth Truth in the inward parts He will no more endure a conceited puff'd up waspish and uncharitable Soul than he does approve the Practices of the most profligate and debauched wretch It is the Preeminence of Christianity above all other Religions and Disciplines to purge the Heart to induce a sweet easie and humble Temper such Spirit is amiable before God and man such we are strictly obliged to as we would be blessed or like our Master and supposing we profess the Christian Faith as we do we shame the Gospel of Christ and expose the Power of Godliness if we wear not such § 2. Let all
A PRACTICAL and PLAIN DISCOURSE OF THE FORM of GODLINESS Visible in the present Age And of the POWER of GODLINESS How and when it obtains how denied or oppressed and how to be instated or recovered WITH Some ADVICES to all that pretend to the Power of Godliness By Edward Lord Bishop of Cork Rosse Dublin Printed by J. Ray. for J. North J. Howes S. Helsham and W. Winter Booksellers 1683. THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY To the most Honourable the exemplarily Devout and Virtuous Lady DOROTHY Countess of ARRAN c. MADAM THE Substance of the ensuing Discourse was for the main delivered in a great Audience whence an unhappy Indisposition caused your Ladiships Absence which at once hindred me of the Honour and as it was suggested to me by a discreet and pious Lady your Ladiship also of the satisfaction of being an Hearer of it Coming therefore now into the publick with a design of publick Good it is humbly presented and dedicated to your Honour in an Epistle as plain and homely as it self with hopes it may be as welcome out of the Press as 't was supposed it would have been out of the Pulpit The other Reasons which moved me to inscribe it to so great a Name were partly that it having received a kind of sacred Authority by passing through so August Hands might be admitted with more Advantage and Facility into the Closets of other Persons of Condition and partly that there might be extant some poor Testimony of my Gratitude to some of that Illustrious Family which has been happily and may it be much more multiplied by your Ladiship now become a Glorious part of it As bounden I daily pray all Accession of Splendour Felicity and Stability to your Ladiship and the whole Noble House and beseech this however mean expression of Duty may be accepted from Madam Your Honours most Dutiful Servant and Orator E. Cork Rosse TO THE READER THough I wanted not the Importunity of many Friends to extort from me to the Press the following Papers of the Contents whereof I had much meaner thoughts than they when the Substance of them was for a great part vocally publish'd yet I will not dissemble but I was able to have hardened my self had I thought good against such Temptation Setting therefore that aside the true Reason that this Discourse comes abroad is the same for which is was first conceiv'd namely because our part of the Christian world has need of such plain-dealing For let some sorts of men pretend what they please Formality prevails and advances daily amongst all Parties professing Religion in whatsoever way amongst us This is the Popery which in these Kingdoms most threatens the Extirpation of our Religion People content themselves with the Name of Christians or haply Protestants and with some outward course or waies of Worship suiting their Humours if not too often their Sins But as to a constant sense of Religion and the Fear or Love of God and as to the Fruits thereof an intire impartial Obedience or study of conforming their Hearts and Lives to the Evangelical Rule herein they desire to be excused Any state of things or of Religion which would but allow men their Sensualities or other Sins at an easie rate seems to me to bid fairest now adays for being Vniversal or Catholick In the mean while it must needs seriously grieve all suber men to see any thing will now down with the Christian world but the true Christian Life and Temper From a deep Sense but Sorrow not deep enough of these things did this plain Discourse proceed I see no Exception which it is so liable to as that I have therein both too severely judged the Age my self and as some may censure taught others mutually to judge one another As to the former part of which Exception I say for my self I have not made it my business here to judge but reprove convince and reform I well remember my Christian Duty that we are not to judge according to every Appearance nor is it perhaps laudable to judge always according to what generally would be allowed for Evidence but to suspend our Sentence and hope the best we can make probable But though neither common Appearance nor all kind of Evidence may be always sufficient Warrants for our Judging yet are they and must be the Measures and Standards of our Reproving And I think I have reproved nothing but what too plainly appears and is more evident than I could desire it were for my Justification As to the other part I hope those Warnings and Cautions which are intersperst in the body of the Discourse may both assoil me of this Guilt and prevent any thing of the nature suggested in the Readers I desire therefore such passages as that pag. 12. I send no man to censure others but let each man turn his eyes inward c. and chapt iv § 1 c. may be duely taken notice of and then neither shall I be blamed nor the Reader guilty of what the Exception imputes It is not improbable many when they see my Name again in Print may expect from me considering how I have been used by some other kind of Language or Subject than here they will find But he who of his infinite Grace counted me faithful putting me into the Ministry when he gave me a Commission to preach gave me none to render Railing for Railing which is all the Answer Mr. B. shall ever have from me to his Libel against me saving only this that I forgive pity and pray for him There is another Gentleman to me utterly unknown whom I must acknowledg my self much obliged to for the frequent and undeserved Honours he does me who yet is pleased to say I did not deal fairly with Mr. B' s Book I suppose he meant in not giving it an orderly and total Confutation Truly my design in those Papers of mine which the Stationer and his Friends having curtail'd named the Protestant Peace-maker in stead of Anticeleusma the Title I gave them being only after a very short purging my self from the wicked Latin and worse Sense which Celeusma had affix'd to me to which purpose I had only put my plain English Text over against their scandalous Latin Translation and left all Readers to judge whether I spoke what they imputed my design I say being after that only and wholly Peace admitted not much Disputation I spoke very freely what I thought to be the true way to Peace and I shewed other waies and particularly inveterately exasperative writing such as was a certain Book in stead of allaying Quarrels only heightened them This I did as others have thought with Sweetness and Temper not affixing one Expression to any man that was not his If in interpreting a certain persons Latin I referred Natae Dispositae c. to Theologiae and not to Juventuti Academicae as the Author says he intended it I cannot now help my past mistake but the fault
is chiefly theirs who besides that they will not write like other men will be writing in Languages which they are not able to menage intelligibly nor were ever Masters of the propriety of In the mean time I could wish the Fourth part of the Conformists Plea for the Nonconformists had dealt as fairly with the Government Laws and even with the Truth it self as I did with Mr. B's Books That Piece pretends to have been writ chiefly for my satisfaction amongst others but I profess my self dissatisfied with it as well by the Authors bringing men in as Sufferers for their Nonconformity before the Act of Uniformity took place as for other mistakes which that good mans Charity I will not say his Credulity lead him into I beg thy pardon Good Reader for detaining thee thus long from what follows Be pleased to peruse the annexed Abstract or Scheme and thou wilt more clearly comprehend and more surely remember the whole substance of the Discourse it self God direct us all to his heavenly Kingdom ERRATA PAg 32. l. 14. r. what practices p. 44. l. 10. r. in any p. 47. l. 2. r. hearkened not p. 68. l. 4. r. to the p. 79. l. 4. r. deny p. 117. l. 11. r. proof thereof p. 119. l. 1. r. Endeavours p. 137. l. 16 r. Psal cvi A Practical Discourse of the Form of Godliness visible in the present Age c. CHAP. I. Sect. 1. We have reason to conclude our selves fallen into those which the Scripture calls the Last Days Sect. 2. In those days it is foretold there should be in the Christian Church a multitude having a Form of Godliness but denying the Power of it Sect. 3. What the Apostle meant by those terms Sect. 4. The Character charged on the present Age. Sect. 5. The Charge propounded to be made good in particulars Sect. 6. An Account of many Pretences and Practices which at present pass into a Form of Godliness Sect. 7. Others may be collected by regard to these § 1. WHen Events fully answer Prophesies there can be little doubt to what times those Prophesies do belong There being therefore extant in Holy Scripture divers Prophetical Characters of the Last Days and our Experience and Reflections on the present Age too sadly convincing us those Characters dreadfully agree with the present Manners we cannot or may not but conclude that we are fallen into some part of those last Days § 2. Amongst other Prophesies which we find of those days That is one of the fullest and most memorable which we find in 2 Tim. ch iii. In the last days perilous times shall come in the Original difficult times 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And in what regard the following verses explain Men shall be lovers of their own selves Covetous Boasters c. By Men doubtless he designs not so much the general mass of Mankind consisting of all Nations and People upon the face of the Earth as Men in the Church and such who profess and call themselves Christians for it is plain the main body of the World were even at the writing of this Epistle such and indeed ever had been since the multiplication of Mankind once and again But as elsewhere predicting that the Day of the Lord should not come except there came a falling away first so here he particularly specifies the more practical part of that Prophesie or the degenerous Manners of Christendom that should be in the later days The Sense then of the first Verse in that Prophesie is that the Christian world should come to such pass that the Vices of those who passed for Christians should render it very difficult for them who were to teach and instruct Ch. ii 24 25. to perform their Duty with good Conscience or indeed for any private persons either to recover themselves out of the snare of the Devil v. 26. or to escape the Corruptions of the Age and preserve their Innocence and Integrity Now that we live in such an age of Christianity we cannot deny nor therefore that these our days are some of the last The three next following Verses it is not necessary to my present design that I particularly examine or paraphrase upon The sum of them is that in that degenerate state and age by the Apostle predicted such Professors of Christianity should abound who were overrun with such Immoralities which not only the Evangelical Law but even Nature it self has ever adjudged the most abominable Vices And the dismal List of these runs so high and large that it is not easie to instance in that crime which may not be reduced to some of those comprehensive Heads there enumerated namely of Selfishness Covetousness Blasphemy Ingratitude Cruelty Treachery Voluptuousness Profaneness c. Now where the multitude should be so profligately bad what remains there could be of Religion and Christianity a man would wonder Yet we see even in this state of publick Manners the Apostle not only admits but foretells People should have a Form of Godliness though by reason of the afore specified flagitiousness it must needs be that they should deny the Power of it Now there being too just a suspicion that as the former part of this Character is verified in the Lives of the present Christian world so this later part and close of it belongs to us also Before we roundly accuse or undertake to prove the Age guilty of it it will be expedient a little more distinctly to consider the terms of the Charge § 3. By Godliness the Apostle undoubtedly in the place mentioned intended only Religion in general or the Belief and Worship of the true God What he stiles the Form hereof seems to import two things First an Idea Scheme or Draught of Religious Doctrine or Principles And thus the same Apostle elsewhere used the very self same term viz. Rom. ii 20. where speaking touching the Self-pleasing Jew he brings him in as having a Form of Knowledg and of the truth of the Law And we have no reason to exclude this Form of Knowledg from the Form of Godliness admitted by the Apostle to be in those wicked livers he taxeth As wildly as they lived they might have as the Jew and perhaps value themselves upon their having a measure of Religious Knowledg Secondly the Form of Godliness seems further to import some Exteriour lines or touches of Religion an habit or course of some outward Religious usages and so some imperfect shew and appearance of the inward Virtue 'T is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Formation rather than a Form a rude Draught not a well-wrought Picture of Godliness which distinguisheth the persons there characterised from demure Hypocrites who possibly have a more perfect mein of Godliness and act it more to the life Not that such hypocritical persons are before God better than the downright profane For Malus bonum cum simulat tunc est pessimus Satan is never more a Devil than when he appears as
in the world as being such upon the observance or neglect of which by the irrefragable Ordination of the God of Truth our Eternal Happiness or Misery depends It is to be lamented this is a part of Christian Knowledge not only too much wanting in the world but too little studied by the generality of Christians and no doubt not without the great prejudice of the Power of Godliness Further 3. It is necessary that in the particulars of our Life and Actions these Principles thus understood and believed be actually attended unto in order to the Governing our selves thereby For we see it too sadly true men may understand and believe what partly through infirmity and natural inadvertency partly through negligence and grossness they too little heed Therefore that Godliness may have its due power all who consider the case will easily acknowledg it indispensibly necessary men endeavour to maintain a constant attention unto or habitual sense of the Christianity they believe The Rule of Practice or Christian Law then must as neer as can be ever be set and kept before us to examine thereby all actions that pass us or the occasions and exercise whereof occur whether the Actions are good or whether evil In like manner also the great points of Faith especially such influential ones as the Nature of God his Omniscience Justice Goodness c. the certainty of Judgment to come with the like must be ever before us to incite and quicken us as well to eschew the evil as choose the good This is in Davids language having respect unto Gods Statutes continually Psalm cxix 117. And in nothing more than in this the holy sorce and effectual working of Faith and good Conscience jointly appears the Power of Godliness I mean when Conscience judges rightly according to the Divine rule what is Duty what is Sin and Faith over-aws or sways the whole man to act accordingly Both which may happily succeed or come to pass if we understand believe and in our particular practise attend unto the Principles of Godliness but never can otherwise And this I may call the truest account of Sanctification or Gods working Holiness in the Hearts of men and I may justifie my saying so from the Apostles words Acts xxvi 18. sanctified through Faith which is in Christ especially if I add hereto 4. That for the asserting Godliness into its full power it is necessary we not only in some particular instances conform our actions to the Christian Law but by constant endeavour of conscientious observance study to habituate our selves to such confirmity We must stirnp the Grace of God in us 2 Tim. 1. 6. and rowse all our strength if in any instances Duty or obeying good Conscience seem at first difficult It is Practice that makes men holy I deny not Divine assistance or Grace but rather ground all holy practice thereon This only I mean Godliness gets not its due power over us but by something of Custom and Exercise We say commonly one Act does not denominate and indeed there is great reason for neither does it much change a man He 's wicked with a witness and so bad as scarce ever Man or Devil was found who has not in some single act or other complyed with the Dictates of good Conscience but there must be frequent acts of that sort to beget either a custom or facility of such compliance So that I say if we intend Godliness shall have its power on us we must endeavour to inure our selves to such honest conscientious practice as described We must not idly expect I know not what inspiration or infusion of virtuous habits into our Souls but co-operate with the Grace of God towards the introducing them It is the Apostles Command Exercise thy self unto Godliness 1 Tim. iv 7. And we need not doubt but the method will be successful Exercise thy self to it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be practising daily in it and it will obtain through the Grace of God a due power over thee The sum then of what we have said on this point is to the end Godliness may have its power over any persons it is necessary that the Principles of Godliness that is the Doctrine of Christian Faith and of Christian Life be duly by them understood be firmly believed be further particularly in practice attended to and that lastly they endeavour to inure themselves into a compliance with them and habitual observance of them for in this method and by these steps it is rationally intelligible and accountable how Godliness may obtain power over men and in any other method to expect it is a presumptuous not to say Enthusiastical though God knows too frequent an Extravagance § 3. Now by what we have thus discours'd it is easie to collect when Godliness may be said to have its due Power namely when in aman the Belief of the Doctrine of Godliness and good Conscience prevail generally to regulate and govern the mans Life and Heart or in plainer terms if plainer can be When through the Grace of God in such method as above set down the man is brought over from a worldly vain or loose life to a fix'd purpose of heart not to allow himself in the Practice of any known sin nor in the neglect of any known Duty and this purpose be firmly keeps to and puts in practice endeavouring withal to maintain perpetually such a temper of mind whence may flow a Life so regular such Persons as these there are in the World and in such as these I say and in no others let men pretend what they will is the Power of Godliness to be found All this will be most plain and together fortified by the Evidence if illustrated by an Example or two out of the Holy Scripture And first as to the prevalence of Godliness or good Conscience so as to allow a mans self in the practice of no sin A fitter instance cannot well be found than that of Joseph Genes xxxix The Temptation is well enough known and the concurrence of Circumstances such as gave it a strange recommendation His age he young His condition a Servant and she his Mistriss The advantages likely to befall him hereby Nothing already was kept from him in the house but her ver 9. This would have made him absolute Her importunity She spake to him day by day ver 10. And as to opportunity None of the men of the house were within ver 11. Now see how the power of Godliness works and so proportionably it will on such occasions wherever it is In general 1. He understood the Doctrine of Godliness and knew Adultery to be a great sin and wickedness ver 9. 2. He not only Believes it to be so but as to God believes privacy could not conceal it from God both these he expresly professes How shall I do this great wickedness and sin against God 3. He particularly amidst all these conspiracies of Tempters and Temptation attends not only as
move with all facility cheer and expedition in the course of my Duty when thou shalt enlarge my heart Psal cxix 32. And whose heart may be said enlarged if not such persons hearts of whom we have spoken Nor is this at all hyperbolical too great or exceeding truth but there is really a certain connaturalness of Holy practice to such a mans heart For considering the before-mentioned particulars of due Knowledge Belief Heedfulness of and yielding to the substance of Religion there cannot well but be in the usual temper of such a mans mind a composition and happy concurrence of all habitual advantages to an Holy and Pious life such as are a general Seriousness Tenderness and Heavenly-mindedness 1. I say A general seriousness or a grave staid considerative spirit will usually possess such a mans breast What I mean hereby will easily and distinctly be understood by its opposites Now I oppose seriousness not only to Debauchery and Irreligion but to the Aiery vain heedless Humour of the Age to a mind much unfixt light and trivial full of rambles toys and uncertainties The serious man then I take to be one who having first a True sense of things is generally composed enough to make actually a due estimate and choice of each as occasion offers He is of the number of the Poets few Qui dignoscere possunt Vera bona atque illis diversa who know true Goods and value all things as they are so or tend to such And thus much certainly the due knowledge belief and heeding the Principles of Religion must have produced in him These must needs have pois'd and fixt his Soul Now how great an advantage is this and how blessedly prepared for all holy and virtuous practice is a serious mind 2. There will be further in such a person an habitual softness tenderness or cedency of Heart He will have a quick and ready sense of all spiritual things and however there may not be in him at all times an equal warmth of Affections yet there will be a constant Resentment and in some good measure a befitting concernment of mind in all the affairs and business of Religion I know some men will laugh at these terms or pretences but such persons must excuse me if I tell them roundly they are strangers to true Godliness and all real Religion There is undoubtedly such a thing as a spiritual sense tast or relish Doth not the ear try sounds and the mouth tast meats Job xii 1 1. Even so doubtless a Soul naturalized as before to heavenly Goods has a relish for them and all things which conduce more immediately to them Our Lord reprehends the want hereof in St. Peter while yet too much a Novice in the Power of Godliness Mat. xvi 23. Thou savourest not the things that be of God but the things that be of men But the thing it self we may frequently observe in holy men upon Record In Josiah 2 Chron xxxiv 27. Because thy heart was tender and thou didst humble thy self before God when thou heardest his words against this place and against the Inhabitants thereof and didst rend thy clothes and weep before me c. In other language He had a ready sense of and was affected with the Divine threatnings as soon as heard In those Disciples Luk. xxiv 32. Did not our heart burn within us while he talked with us by the way and while he opened to us the Scriptures And in the holy Psalmist more generally Psal cxix 103. How sweet are thy words unto my tast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To my Palate as if his Soul had such an Organ yea sweeter than honey to my mouth Many such passages occur in that heavenly Book In plain english A good man whether he is to Pray or Hear or Communicate or even in private to entertain himself in Meditations or good Books has an heart so accommodated and disposed to these employments as that the several parts of each Office make suitable impressions on him and naturally draw forth his Soul towards God in acts of Resignation Humility Faith Hope Joy Love and Gratitude And this Sensibleness Pliantness of mind thus affirmed we cannot imagin but such Attention to and Compliance with the sum of Christianity together with such general giving a mans self up to God to walk before him in the doing all known duty and avoiding all known sin as before said must needs produce For as living in known sin sears mens Consciences and renders their hearts obdurate so by the rule of contraries the endeavouring to have a good Conscience in all things as the Apostle calls the practice we speak of Hebr. xiii 18. must needs soften them and of stony make them hearts of flesh which how great an advantage it is and how far it facilitates indeed much constitutes an holy life I need not speak 3. Upon these must needs also be consequent a general heavenly mindedness a looking above the things of this world above both the smiles and frowns thereof yea even amidst our worldly engagements or converse and a secret longing of Soul for that future unseen blessed estate which we know not yet what it is distinctly but have believed This part we cannot but conceive will be the product of such qualifications and practices as we have before treated of and all together must needs raise and ennoble the Soul and fit it for the divinest life it can be capable of in this state For suppose the Heart habitually serious tender and compliant with all spiritual concerns breathing after and in love with the unseen world What Christian duty is there which such person is not fitted for And as to the assistances of Divine Grace it is sure God is never wanting to those whom by a course of his Grace and their improvements he has thus prepared for the reception of more I think it now apparent by this method of Operations through which we have traced the Power of Godliness that it will bring men to this state and temper And I shall only add That it will engage them also to endeavours of constant maintaining and upholding the same That their Resolutions and Alacrity flag not that their Seriousness Tenderness and Heavenly mindedness decay not in a word That they fall not from this their Love of God and Holiness For it is a command as obligatory and of as great concernment as any can be presum'd to be Prov. iv 23. Keep thy heart with all diligence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Above all keeping whatever thou watchest not over be sure to watch over that For out of it are the issues of life Out of the abundance of it proceeds a mans eternal Weal or Wo. § 5. I would here conclude this Head but that I suspect some persons and those haply not ill ones will be apt to think that still this Discourse runs too high and will oppose against it that of Solomon There is no man which sinneth not 2 Chron. vi
36. Not a just man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not Eccles vii 20. And the like passages of St. James and St. John so well known that they need not to be cited And further they may say If there be any man of such excellent temper as just now described What is the reason that we find some whom we take to be of the best of men and in whom the Power of Godliness has undoubtedly had good effect complaining notwithstanding of the dulness hardness and worldliness of their hearts Though too many be all are not Hypocrites in these complaints nor are the Complaints meerly Cant. My Answer hereto shall be First By desiring my expressions before may be carefully considered and not strained beyond their import or my intention I have said Men in whom the Power of Godliness prevails Generally that is For the main attend unto the Christian Doctrine and examine and judg such actions as occur thereby that they comply with such judgment and endeavour constancy in such compliance that hereby they arrive at this pitch not to allow themselves in the practice of any known sin or in the neglect of any known Duty and thence follows generally or habitually such a temper of heart as described I did not say nor do I mean that in some one or few single instances it is never otherwise in any of the particulars There came a Traveller 2 Sam. xii 4. that is there entred an Act of Lust which was a stranger there unto David and he was afterwards for a considerable time in a very strange temper But I do say now 2. Such Lapses Miscarriages or Crimes and any internal distempers consequent thereupon in good men proceed not doubtless from the power of Godliness in them but from the Defect interruption or some violent obstruction of it And if very good men too little express or not constantly enough comply with the power of Godliness that will not warrant any person either who is to teach it for stating it too low or who is to practice it for not aiming above the faults of such Precedents And as to David's case it is sure David did live and was generally what I have described and though this Practice and this Temper were for a while by that dreadful fall interrupted yet the power of Godliness prevailed again and finally so that he recovered and remaintained both But as far forth as either failed so far forth at that time or times came he short of approving himself a person actuated by the power of Godliness and in the great instance mentioned there is no doubt till his recovery he forfeited both Gods Favour and all claim he could lay to be a Godly Man though I do not think the internal principle of Holyness was thereby in him quite extinct nor are Habits rased out of the Soul of man but as they are introduced that is by frequent practice or repetion of acts Lastly and distincty as to what Sins may be conceived consistent with the general prevalence of the Power of Godliness in man For mine own part I take Sins of Ignorance and of Error even under the Gospel to be Sins truly so called and to stand in need as well on our hands of a general Repentance or Repentance of them in the lump if I may so speak as of a Pardon on Gods Now that in the most godly men these are frequent there is no doubt And as to Sins of surprisal common inadvertencies and at other times the infirmities of Passions seising us together with the Distempers of Mind Dulness Flatness Hardness in some measure Discomposedness and what else may flow from such originals not allowed there can be no question but they may be and are incident unto those men in whom the Power of Godliness most prevails For we are here Men having Flesh and Bloud about us and not Angels But as to deliberate sinning though the time of Deliberation should be but short still I stand to it the allowing a mans self in any known Sin whether of Commission or Omission is contrary to irreconcilable with and in tantum for so much destructive of the Power of Godliness nor may any person so allowing himself conclude while he so allows or has not recovered himself by mature Repentance that he is under the Power of Godliness or Conduct of Gods Spirit or indeed in a savable Condition For know ye not to whom ye yield your selves Servants to obey his Servants you are to whom you obey whether of Sin unto Death or of Obedience unto Righteousness Rom. vi 16. Observe this yielding our selves to obey Sin is in it self unto death and ver 20. Being Servants of Sin ye are free from Righteousness out of a justified estate for v. 21. the end of these things and v. 23. the Wages of Sin is Death Nor do I doubt but in this Doctrine I am faithful as well as tender to the Souls of men § 6. Now of these things which on this head we have said the sum is Godliness at least as the world now stands does not usually get power over men but by several degrees We are first brought to the understanding of then to a conviction and belief of the Doctrine of Christian Faith and Manners hereby Conscience awakened as well as inlightned attends its Office judges and dictates aright With these dictates the man complies as swayed by what he is before supposed to believe which Belief sways not to comply only in some few single instances but to endeavour an universal conformity to good Conscience and the Evangelical Law the sense of both which are supposed by this time to be one and the same From this constant and honest endeavour of such conformity the rule of our Duty proceeds a Facility and Cheerfulness in holy Practice and from thence a general seriousness tenderness and heavenliness of mind Now in as many as lead this life though with a multitude of infirmities to which Flesh and Bloud is subject I say the Power of Godliness appears or Godliness has obtained its due Power For it has transformed such mens Lives and Hearts And though it has not set them above all Sin and all disorders of mind which to do in this life is not the pretence of Christianity yet has it wrought out all the old Leaven of Malice and Wickedness 1 Cor. v. 8. of vitious Self love of Covetousness Pride Disobedience Formality and the other evils taxed by the Apostle in the famous 2 Tim. iii. 2 3 c. and replenished their Souls with Sincerity and Truth of Holiness with an amiable and heavenly temper which was the thing Godliness here was to effect Therefore in and on such Godliness through Divine Grace has its due Power And into this estate may every one who reads this find himself transform'd Amen CHAP. III. Of Denying the Power of Godliness Sect. 1. The Practices by which men Deny the Power of Godliness reduced to two Heads Sect.
frequent awakening in our Souls the thoughts of them 1. By a constant Observation of the due returns of our more solemn Devotions Omit none of the stated times of Prayer nor any of the main parts of which thy Devotions ought to consist Particularly I do and must suppose that our daily solemn Devotions as one main integrant part of them do contain an Examination of Conscience touching our late past actions and touching the very present state and temper of our mind This I would have in its season on no accounts whatsoever omitted by him who would keep or have his Heart under the Power of Godliness And most especially let care be taken the Heart still be engaged in Prayer We should never content our selves with the offering up verbal supplications Though indeed our Prayers cannot when solemn be ordinarily without words yet they must never consist of them alone And the engaging the Heart in Prayer will stamp such a considerative state upon it as will be sure to last some time after 2. By frequent Elapses of the Soul towards God in an ejaculatory way This kind of Prayer a man may be at without others observation or interruption to himself in the midst of Business or in the midst of Company And it is of singular use to keep alive a sense of God and our Duty in the Heart and that both by Impetrating or deriving upon us the Assistances of his Grace and even by disposing or sometimes determining our minds to that which should be their constant bent I will only add hereto that they who will be godly in good earnest must exercise themselves to set a bound to their desires of this world They must learn to know when they have enough and finding themselves sufficiently provided for their own and theirs passing honestly and decently through this world they ought to look upon it as every way their Interest to put an end to their solicitude of getting or amassing up more Wealth Our Baptismal Vow one should think ought to be reputed obligatory to us all for so much renouncing the world as this comes to And the primitive Christians we cannot but be sensible did much more They left all they gave over not only getting but possessing Now the plain immediate consequent hereof would be that a vast part of our worldly business would cease our minds would be discharged of a great deal of that care and thoughtfulness about many things which night and day both puts and keeps Heaven our Duty and the concernments of our Souls far from us We should be vacant to a serious godly temper and to consider before we act in a word we should be at leisure to be conscientiously holy And they who will not be persuaded hereto let them consider how they will acquit themselves of that Guilt our Lord has warn'd us of in choaking the good Seed with Cares and Riches and the Pleasures of this life Luk. viii 14. together with the lusts of other things as St. Mark adds Mark iv 19. 'T is certain we cannot serve two Masters God and Mammon and it were well if some men did not go about to divide themselves betwixt more but such mens Religion is in vain Indeed men never can be religious as long as daily and hourly they are intent on this world Such groveling temper debauches Conscience expectorates or banishes out of the mind all due attention and consideration of religious Principles Lastly in compliance with what was said above touching Endeavors to habituate our selves to constant conformity to the Christian Law all care must be used to quicken our selves to such Endeavors To this purpose it will be very useful to be much and frequent in such Thoughts as these 1. That in Gods account inconstant or partial Obedience is no Obedience Whosoever shall keep the whole Law and yet offend allowing himself in one point is guilty of all For he who said Do not commit Adultery said also Do not kill Jam. ii 10 11. In whatsoever we knowingly neglect or violate our Duty we cast off the Fear of God and break all that is sacred in our obligations to him Therefore he never esteems he has our Hearts except he have them wholly and though he does gratiously overlook our Infirmities and Slips yet when at any critical seasons or in any particular instances we indulge our selves in departing from Him and our Duty this is so direct a preferring for that time others before him at least so mature a bringing in to our Hearts and Services competitors with him that he will never endure it If any man draw back my Soul shall have no pleasure in him Hebr. x. 38. is the Sentence in case the of habitual and persisting Partiality Let it be further considered 2. That all former study and pains to gain Knowledge to bring the Heart to Belief and Attention is but lost labour nay these very accomplishments themselves suppose they were attain'd are but frivolous without this constant and uniform endeavor of Obedience 'T is this alone which can break off the old course and custom of sin disengage us of ours Chains make Holiness both easie and pleasant administer matter of Comfort to us in our reflections on our selves and in a word avail us when we come upon our great account at Gods Tribunal The best undoubtedly have had many falls but if a mans Conscience can say I have honestly endeavoured in all I knew to walk uprightly before God though in many things I have failed this answer of a good Conscience through all the particulars suggested here and hereafter will through the Bloud of Christ ease and support me and nothing without this will 3. Nay the former accomplishments of Knowledge Belief Attention to our Duty will without this not only be unavailable to our Benefit but most dreadfully operate to our greater Guilt and Wo they will render our Sins out of measure sinful For what can more inhance or heighten mens Crimes than that notwithstanding their Knowledge Belief and actual thought both of their Christian Duty and Obligations they have ordinarily allowed themselves in unchristian practices For Sinners of such a rate as this if for any is reserved certainly the Blackness of Darkness and Judgment without Mercy But it is to be hoped these and other like considerations if much in our minds may quicken us to an impartial endeavour of conforming all our Actions to the Christian Law And such endeavour maintained and persisted in will no doubt through Divine Grace succed and take effect Frequent acts of all Christian Virtues will be exerted many good Works done the Habit of a new Life attained and Holiness become natural to us That blessed temper also of habitual Seriousness Tenderness and Heavenliness will soon follow in course and so Godliness will both obtain and hold its due Power Especially if to the Practice of these more particular Directions we add a constant devout and wise Vse of those general